This invention relates, generally, to surface mounting connectors and more particularly to the mounting of a surface mounting connector housing to a substrate in a precise manner without placing mechanical stress on soldered terminals.
Recently there is an ever increasing usage of surface mounting electrical components and therefore connectors. Due to the high degree of precision required in surface mounting, automation is generally preferred to manual mounting operations. This therefore requires a high degree of precision on a circuit board with the necessity that holes which are used to secure a connector housing to a circuit board must be precisely positioned and of the correct size. This is generally where mounting problems have arisen. Installation of hardware (screws or rivets) at the time of component installation would severely impact the complexity of tooling for an automated assembly process, since not only the connector but also the mounting hardware would have to be handled. However, it is well accepted in the art that the installation of hardware has to be made in a manner that positively transfers any connector mating loads of the cable to connector, to the substrate without any stress being placed on the solder connections of the connector contacts. This is particularly problematic when cables or the like are used. Generally, this is done with ordinary hardware where holes are drilled in the substrate. This requires extreme precision to ensure that the mounting holes in the connector align with the substrate holes. If the holes of the connector and substrate do not align perfectly then upon installation of a screw or rivet or the like, displacement of the connector housing in relation to the substrate will result in an amount equal to the hole misalignment and therefore transmits stress to the solder-contact interface. Further, if screws are used then clearance in the holes is required to permit installation of the screws into the misaligned holes and the retention of the housing to the substrate will be primarily due to friction at the interface point. Further, since plastics are generally used the compressive stress of a screw will gradually relax and relative motion of the connector to the substrate will result.
It is desirable and as an object of the present invention to have a method which would guarantee perfect alignment between the connector mounting holes and the substrate mounting holes upon which it is mounted. Additionally, it is desirable and as an object of the present invention to have a method which eliminates drilling of the substrate, while it is also desirable and an object to have a method which is relatively inexpensive, easy to accomplish and which could be readily integrated into existing connector mounting procedures. Such a scheme is taught by the present invention.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have and as a further object of the present invention a method of mounting a connector to a substrate comprising the steps of (a) placing a connector having electrical contacts and at least one mounting hole aperture therein onto a substrate so as to align the contact with conductive paths disposed on the substrate; (b) inserting a pin into each mounting hole aperture in the connector; and (c) urging the pin downward so as to cut through the substrate and thereby rigidly hold the connector to the substrate.